1. The Field of the Invention
This invention relates to underwater propulsion and, more particularly, to novel systems and methods for using buoyancy-based, vertical forces to generate forward motion.
2. The Background Art
In the early 1940's, Jacques-Yves Cousteau and Emile Gagnan developed a regulator that automatically provided compressed air to a diver in response to inhalation. Prior to the Cousteau-Gagnan regulator, all self-contained underwater breathing devices supplied air continuously or required manual manipulation between on and off configurations. The Cousteau-Gagnan regulator begin a diving revolution that brought reliable and low cost diving to the masses. In 1993, just fifty years after the invention of the Cousteau-Gagnan regulator, the Professional Association of Diving Instructors (PADI) certified 515,000 new divers worldwide.
In recent years, the popularity of other underwater diving activities such as snorkeling has also grown. With the increasing interest in underwater diving, systems and methods have been developed to assist divers in propelling themselves through the water. For example, high efficiency swim fins such as those disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,607,411 B1 issue Aug. 19, 2003 to McCarthy have been developed. Such fins allegedly increase lift and decrease the turbulence and drag imposed. Development in other directions has lead to improvements in personal, motor-driven craft (e.g. scooters, tractors), such as that disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,647,912 B1 issued Nov. 18, 2003 to Rogers. Such devices pull a user through the water and may be steered by pointing the craft in the direction the user desires to travel.
However, certain areas or sources of underwater propulsion have been underutilized. For example, buoyancy forces have not been adequately tapped to provide personal, underwater propulsion. Accordingly, what is needed is a buoyancy-based, underwater propulsion system and method to assist divers of all type in travels through the water.